Are you already feeling overwhelmed and behind?

You’re not. 

I’ve felt it, too. Even through Christmas break, I felt this pressure to put out emails just because that’s what I do on Fridays. But I pushed back against performing. I don’t want to put empty words in your inbox. Your heart matters to me. 

So I waited. I waited until some discouragement and depression passed. I trusted the Lord would give me words to say, at the right time. 

My heart was overwhelmed with reels and emails about goals, resolutions, words of the year, 2025 reflections. I wanted to do those things, but I was worn out. Trying to squeeze water from a wet sponge. My mind was all over the place shaming myself about what I should be doing. Stressed about the mess of kids at home. Fighting colds and flus. Ick. 

On December 27, the Lord prompted me to get back into Priscilla Shirer’s book, Fervent. One thing leapt off the page: “Focus protects your goals and dreams from being consumed in small bites, stolen right out from under your nose in twenty-minute segments of compromise.” My heart immediately felt convicted about my time on social media and the correlation with the heaviness I wish would go away.  

Gratefully, I chose a new way: I’ve slowed down, eliminated distractions, and made more time to pray. I’ve focused on what is important to me in this season: the Lord, my family, friends, and my writing. Now, I sense hope rising. I can rest better, hear the Lord, and am brainstorming ideas for my book once again (it’s about tending to hope like a garden). 

My pastor shared a staggering statistic in his “Digital Detox” series. In one day, the average person consumes as much data as someone 100 years ago would consume in their entire lifetime. Whew. No wonder we can feel so much pressure to be, do, and have with so much at our fingertips. Our souls can only take so much. Friend, let us be our permission slip to ease into the new year. May the Lord’s grace be upon us, and may his peace that surpasses understanding flow deep into the wells of our thirsty, stressed hearts. 

Let’s go into this weekend, month and year with fresh mercy and release what we’ve been carrying. Pressure is off. Give yourself space to settle in and just be with the Lord. Dear friend, may you “continue in the grace of God” (Acts 13:43). 

Here are some ways to ease into 2026:

• Join me on a journey of detoxing from social media. Email me and I’d love to know what you’re cutting out and for how long, so we can pray for one another.
• Start a new morning rhythm phone-free.
• Check out your local library and browse. 
• Make time for creativity. I’ve been loving embroidery lately. 

My prayer for you

I’m praying for you, friend, one with a heavy heart, one who feels like it’ll never get better. I’m praying you are filled to overflowing with hope in our God to come through for you by power of the Holy Spirit. I’m praying for miracles. For breakthroughs, for spring seasons with new growth. I pray for refreshment and a new love for the Lord. I pray you get clarity in the season you’re in and trust in his purposes and process. In Jesus’ name, amen.

I know it’s messy. But it’s beautiful. You’re beautiful.

May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

Looking for some comforting Bible verses to navigate a hard season? Download my free printable: 10 Scriptures for an Anxious Heart.